ROC Court (Repeat Offender Court)
"ROC" stands for Repeat Offender Court, and it exists in Miami-Dade and Broward. Essentially, ROC Court is a specialized court division (two divisions in Miami-Dade) that deals with repeat felony offenders. Most of the defendants in ROC Court have been designated a "career criminal," facing enhanced penalties under Florida law. Many of these ROC defendants are designated habitual offenders (HO),
habitual violent offenders (HVO), and
prison releasee re-offenders (PRRP).
Obviously not all repeat felony offenders go to ROC Court. Typically, violent second degree felonies and higher may go to ROC Court. In Miami-Dade County, the State Attorney's Career Criminal Unit oversees these divisions, staffing the courtrooms with Career Criminal Unit ASAs.
All other offenses, including serious homicides, are prosecuted in regular divisions.
ROC Court means business. It means that plea offers will typically be guided by the harsh
mandatory minimum sentences.
If you find yourself in ROC Court, you may be looking at
no bond due to the charge.
Also, if in ROC Court, it is very important to retain a
criminal defense attorney who has trial experience. Most ROC Court cases end up going to trial due to the fact that plea offers are simply too high to accept.
It is possible for first-time offenders to end up in ROC Court as the co-defendants of experienced felons. If two people commit a robbery and one is a six-time felon and the other has never been arrested, if the six-time felon's case ends up in ROC Court, the first-time offender's will as well.
ROC Court is intended to specialize in repeat offenders, so the prosecutors and judges are tough. The prosecutors are all experienced veterans and the judges have no problems handing down 30 year, 40 year, even life sentences. They do it all the time.
If your case, or the case of a loved one, is in ROC Court in Miami-Dade or Broward,
call me to discuss your options.